Crimson Blade
by xStarfirex
Summary: AU. Kory Anders was a very cheerful and classy 16 year old. But, they took everything away from her. Her friends, her family. Even her life. Now at 21, she seeks revenge. She won’t stop until she gets it. full summery inside. RichKor
1. Distant Memories

**A/N **hey everyone! I'm back with another story. I've been having writer's block for my other story 'Sweet Scent' but I tend to finish that fanfic. Hope you like this one and please review!

**Summery: **AU. Kory Anders was a very cheerful and classy 16 year old. But, they took everything away from her. Her friends, her family. Even her life. Now at 21, she seeks revenge. She won't stop until she gets it. She finds comfort in the person she'd least expect to get help from. RichKor

**Crimson Blade  
****Chapter: 1**

**Distant Memories  
****By: xStarfirex**

_A red haired girl was running in the rain. Her clothes were damp with tears in it. She was panting. She hid behind the nearest tree and looked back. There stood a mansion. Through the windows she could see a long blade rise up in the air. And in a quick split second, the blade lowered quickly and a loud scream can be heard._

'_Why are they doing this? Why are they taking everything I've worked hard for? My friends, my family, it's all gone. So is my home…' she thought as she watched her family being killed right before her very eyes._

She awoke as she sat up in bed. Sweat was running down her face. She was panting. She looked out the window and found that the sun hasn't risen yet. She looked at her clock and it read 6:00. She let out a long sigh and forced herself out of bed even though she wanted to go back to sleep.

Her name was Kory Anders. She witnessed the murder of her family and friends when she was only 16. Five years have passed since that unspeakable crime. She hasn't spoken her true feelings to anyone ever since. She was smart, carefree, always cheerful, classy, emotional, and very open to everyone when she was 16. She was well known at her school and everyone wanted to be her friend. But now, she's mysterious, secretive, quiet, not very emotional, not very classy, and most of all family and friendless. She hardly smiles, has any friends, and her home is in a two bedroom apartment near her university. Yet she maintains her A grades. She wants to leave Jump City and escape her awful memories. But to do that, she'll need money. She has to earn it this time. There's no more rich family there to support her studies. She plans to graduate, like her mother wanted, find a job out of town, and leave her memories a distant thing of the past. But wherever she goes, she can't help but remember the good times in high school, where she was once happy in the place she loved calling her home.

"Kory Anders, what is your answer for the equation number 47?" asked Kory's algebra professor.

"The answer is E equals 507 meters square," Kory answered.

"Very good."

She looked around her classroom (A/N I think that's what they call it in college) and saw her fellow piers pass notes. She suddenly remembered she and her friends used to pass notes during journalism class in high school. She sighed.

"Can you stop sighing all the time, Anders? It's getting annoying," whispered a blonde sitting behind her.

"Sorry, Summer," she said not bothering to turn around. She heard her giggle with someone. Must be her new rich boyfriend, Richard Grayson. Summer Skylark and Richard Grayson were the popular couple at Kory's college. Mainly because they were rich. Summer's the heiress to the famous Skylark hotel chain while Richard was the heir to the famous Wayne Enterprises. They had a smooth life. Summer had shoulder length layered blonde hair and blue eyes, Richard has jet black spiky hair with blue eyes. They were more different than they both thought, Summer was all looks no brain, she was so dumb she would get an F on all her tests, but since she was rich, her dad paid her teacher to pass her to the next grade. Losers. Richard, on the other hand, was very smart. He was a straight A student just like Kory.

"Don't listen to Skylark and Grayson, they're just snobs," Kory's best friend, Raven said. They had a lot in common. For one thing, they were both mysterious, and secretive. They even kept secrets from each other without the other knowing.

"Ok," Kory said, not really meaning it.

The bell rang and all the students at Jump City University exited the school. School was finally over for the day. Summer and Richard walked outside hand in hand so that the whole school could see they were officially a couple.

"Raven! Raven!" yelled a boy about the same age. He had green hair and green eyes.

"Let's go," said Raven, dragging Kory outside.

"Isn't that Garfield Logan? He's in biology class with us right?" Kory questioned, "What does he want with you?"

"Nothing, just keep moving."

Since there were so many students, Raven escaped from Garfield.

"Why were you hiding from him?" Kory asked as soon as they got outside.

"Nothing. I have to go back in and study for an exam in the library, I'll see you tomorrow," and with that Raven carefully went back inside.

'_Finally, Saturday tomorrow, but like I have anything fun to do. Fun? What is fun?'_ Kory quietly thought to herself. But, she wasn't paying close attention to where she was walking and she snapped back to reality as she realized she was falling because some popular snob tripped her. But no ordinary snob, it was Summer. That evil witch. Kory fell hard on the floor. Her books fell out of her hand. A red scar appeared on her face as it started bleeding.

Richard saw the whole thing. He saw his girlfriend put her leg back to trip Kory. He immediately rushed to Kory and helped her get up and gather her books.

'_She looks so innocent, I wonder why she's always so quiet,' _Richard thought to himself as he picked up her books. Kory grabbed her books from his hand.

"Thanks," she said in such a low voice, Richard could hardly hear, and ran off.

Richard slowly got up as he watched her walk away, without so much as an introduction even though they know each other's names because they were in the same classes.

"Honey? Honey? HONEY!" Summer yelled to get Richard's attention.

"Huh? yeah?" he finally answered.

"Why did you pick up Anders's books?" she asked.

"Because it seemed like a nice thing to do." All their other popular so-called 'friends' started laughing. All except his best friend, Victor Stone. Victor Stone is a tall African-American guy who's the best basketball player their school has ever seen.

The laughing died when Summer raised up her hand.

"Nice? You thought that was nice? My reputation is on the line here! My boyfriend just helped a non popular girl? That's improbable! But I forgive you," she said smiling an 'innocent' smile, "Just don't do it again, ok?"

"……Alright," he said not really meaning it.

"Hey, Richard, you're coming to my basketball game tomorrow right?" asked Victor.

"Yes, you have to come, you have to see me cheer!" said Summer.

"Yeah, I'll be there," Richard said.

"Hey, why don't you ever go for sports? I wanna cheer you on for one of your games! I _am_ the head cheerleader after all," Summer bragged.

"Sports isn't really my thing," he said.

"Well, why isn't it?"

"I don't know actually. Before my father died, we used to play badminton at our court, he would let me win of course. I was only seven at the time though."

"Ok, well, we better get going, we have to study for our exam on Monday," Summer said and dragged Richard out of the campus grounds.

"Where are we going? The library is the other way," Richard said.

"I know," Summer said.

"I thought we were going to study."

"Studying is for losers, we're going to have some fun. We're going to a club."

**Kory**

Kory got home and went into her 'gym'. She stayed in there for about a two hours before she decided she was tired and stopped. She got out her books and started studying. About an hour and a half into the study time, she felt like she studied enough and needed fresh air. She put on her coat and went for a walk. She suddenly found herself on the boardwalk. The beach was near where she lived. She saw a periscope and decided to look through it. In a distant, she saw dolphins jump, people speedboating, people surfing, and people jet-skiing. They look happy. Oh howbadly shewanted to be as happy as them.

She stared out onto the ocean, letting her mind wander to whatever popped into herhead first.

**Flashback**

_16 year old Kory was sitting on a chair in the funeral home. All her relatives came to say their final goodbyes to the Anders family. She got up and went to the bathroom. On her way back, she overheard a conversation among her aunts and uncles._

"_Take care of Kory will you?" asked one of her uncles._

"_Why me? I'm already supporting three kids," said one of her aunts._

"_Well, I can't take her, I'm always away on business, who knows what she might do while I'm gone?" said another uncle._

"_I can't take her, she might be trouble," complained an aunt._

"_Not my responsibility, me and my husband are planning to have children, we can't have a teenager get in the way," said another aunt._

"_She's not mine, I have enough problems with my own daughter, I don't need another," complained an uncle._

"_Can't her grandfather take her?" asked an annoyed aunt._

"_Her grandfather lives in a retirement home," said an uncle._

_Tears started to form in Kory's eyes. _

"_NO ONE HAS TO TAKE ME IN! I CAN LIVE ON MY OWN!" Kory screamed and ran to the bathroom. She stayed in there for quite a while as she cried her heart out. No one came to comfort her._

_She washed her face and went back to the room where her mom and dad were. Everyone had left and she was there alone._

"_What am I gonna do?" she asked out loud not hoping for a response._

**End Flasback**

Kory quietly sobbed. A single tear made its way to her cheek. Soon, more tears came. A gust of wind had come. It blew her hair out of her face as her red hair danced in the wind.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a vaguely familiar figure. She turned her head and he was looking straight at her with a worried look.

**To be continued…**

**A/N** that was kinda short. did you figure out who that figure was? If you didn't, wait for the next chapter. Hope you liked this first chapter of my new story. Now you know what you gotta do, that's right, time to review! Was it good? Bad? Exceptional? Tell me cuz I gotta know!

xStarfirex


	2. Don't Call Me Kory

**A/N Thanks everyone for your support on this fanfic! Sorry it took me so long to update but I sort of lost interest in continuing to write this. Well here it is! Oh and special thanks to pixiepuff101 for helping to write this! I thank her in many languages. Arigato, Salamat, Grazie, Merci, and not to forget English, Thank You!**

**Crimson Blade  
****Chapter: 2**

**Don't Call Me Kory  
****By: xStarfirex **

Right there was someone she least expected to see. Standing there was Richard Grayson. He looked worriedly at Kory. Kory shrugged it off and starting walking away. What did he care anyway?

"Kory!" Richard called after her, but she didn't turn around or even stop. She completely ignored him. He started walking towards her until someone just had to ruin the moment.

"Ritchie-poo!" Summer's high pitched voice called from across the street. She came out of the store with about five big shopping bags.

"Aren't you going to help me, darling?" Summer said as she crossed the street. The drivers stopped to let her cross and some had wide-eyes. Richard rolled his eyes and put on his black shades before taking her bags.

"Hey why don't we go back to the nightclub since there's nothing else to do today," Summer suggested.

"Sorry, I got work." Richard said, "I'll drop you off at your place."

"Awww, fine then, Ritchie-poo!" Summer stormed off in the direction of the car with Richard trailing behind. Richard pulled out his keys to his silver Ferrari Enzo. He put the bags in the trunk and climbed into the driver seat. Summer sat in the passenger seat still looking kind of mad.

He turned on the engine and began driving to Summer's beach home a few miles away from Jump City near the beach called, South Bay. About ten minutes later, he put the car to a sudden stop. He got out and opened the trunk and took out the five shopping bags just as Summer got out of the passenger seat to open the door of her beach home. Richard put the bags down on the floor and walked back out on the porch.

"I'll see you at the game tomorrow," Summer said and kissed him on the lips. Richard made no comment and turned around to walk back to his car.

"Whatever," he mumbled under his breath. He got in the driver seat and sped off back to Jump City without looking back.

In merely five minutes, he was on the hill where the Wayne Mansion was located. It gave a magnificent view of the city. Richard walked into the mansion and went straight to his room. He closed the door and locked it. He did not want to be disturbed. And to prove that, he put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his door, the kinds you find in hotels and put on your doorknob so the pesky cleaners wouldn't barge into your room.

**Kory**

After walking from the boardwalk, Kory had decided to visit Raven. She worked part time in a café. She walked through the door and looked around for Raven. She was doing the cashier and taking a customer's order. She handed the cup to a co-worker and looked up. She was surprised to find Kory there.

"Hey Bee, I'm leaving work now, see ya tomorrow?" Raven turned to an African-American woman standing next to a percolator.

"Yeah, Raven," she turned to see Kory standing by the doorway, "Oh, hey Kory!"

"Hey Bee, how's it going?" Kory said.

"You haven't been back to the café since a month ago, come visit us more often."

"Ok, I'll try."

"Bee, you're coming with us the game tomorrow, right?" Raven asked as she put on her coat and stood next to Kory.

"Yeah, I'm coming. We'll go together to your school."

"Ok, see you tomorrow." Raven and Kory walked out of the café.

Bee's real name was Karen Beecher. Her friends gave her the nickname 'Bee' because she had a variety of purses and wallets and other things with yellow and black stripes, the color of bumble bees. Karen doesn't attend the same school as Raven and Kory, she goes to a different school. She's also the assistant manager for the café, that's how she met Raven. Then Raven introduced her to Kory, and there you have it, the trio.

"Did Gar come around the café by any chance?" Kory asked.

"No, not today," Raven answered.

"Why do you avoid him anyway? Do you hate him?"

"I don't hate him. And I don't like him either."

"You just _dis_like him?"

"Yeah."

"Why? What did he ever do to you?"

"It's a long story, Kory."

"We have time."

A long awkward pause.

"Alright. Gar and I met in our freshmen year at Murakami High. It was before I met you, Kory. He was in my homeroom. He sat right next to me. One day, during PE, he finally had the guts to talk to me. He was getting annoying most of the time. Then after that day, he started hanging out with me. He became my first friend. Then, a few months ago, he confessed his feelings to me. I didn't want him to like me so now I avoid him." Raven explained.

'_Raven, I think this story isn't a one-sided love'_ Kory thought.

"Well, you know what they say, opposites attract," Kory said followed by a fit of laughter. Raven merely looked at her and smiled. She and Kory had different personalities, but together they make every moment worth it. That's what you call a true friend.

* * *

Hours later, Kory found herself walking the empty streets of Jump City alone. She and Raven had parted ways as they took separate paths home. Her townhouse was a couple of blocks away. The next block had a dark alley that Kory always feared. She quickly tried to walk past it. She let out a sigh of relief as she passed by the dark alley of doom. Suddenly, she was pulled back by a mysterious figure. She was dragged into the alley.

"Give me your money!" The man screamed at her. Was he really this desperate for money?

"Go to hell" Kory said in an emotionless voice. She looked up at him and gave him a sinister glare before kicking him right to the floor. Kory had picked up that line long ago from a classmate of hers who was very angry that day. (A/N OOC much, Kory?)

"I said give me your purse!" He got up and pulled out a gun and aimed right at Kory. Kory was a little frightened, but she showed no sign of it. She maintained her composure.

"And I said Go. To. HELL" She slowly said separating the words incase this nut head couldn't comprehend.

"Why you little-" But before he could finish a mysterious dark shadow appears right behind him.

"Leave the girl alone," his mysterious yet sexy voice said. (A/N lol)

_That voice…_ Kory said in her mind_… where have I heard it before?_

"What's she to you?" Her mysterious attacker loaded and cocked his gun. He grabbed Kory by the shoulder and was now holding her right in front of him with a gun aimed exactly at the side of her head.

"One more move, bird boy, and she goes," The attacker said in a confident tone.

The mysterious figure, the attacker called 'bird boy', emerged from the shadows. He had jet black spiky hair and a black mask covering his eyes. He wore a black spandex suit with a blue bird in the middle of his chest. Nice outfit, Nightwing. Nightwing is a legend in Jump City and Gotham. He's known for saving people and his true identity remains a mystery.

"Nightwing…" Kory quietly said to her herself. It was barely audible.

"Let the girl go," Nightwing said once again.

"And if I don't?"

"If you don't, I'll kill you myself," Kory said in a threatening tone as she grabbed her attacker's arm and flipped him so he landed face flat on the cold wet pavement. She bent down and took out her mini knife and held it to his throat.

"Don't mess with me," Kory said. She kicked his gun across the street and got up to get some rope from a crate in the alley and tied both his wrists to a pole. She gave it one last tug before deciding it should hold him down for a while.

"Looks like you know how to handle yourself, Ms. Anders," Nightwing said. He was a little shocked a girl like her knew how to do those moves. Kory walked to him and gave him a glare

"I didn't need your help, Nightwing. And who told you my name?" Kory said in a threatening voice.

"I've got connections," Nightwing said.

"Who?" Kory took a step closer to Nightwing.

"…People…"

"Tell me," Kory said, it was barely above a whisper and it sounded very threatening.

"Why should I?"

"If you don't, you'll end up like him," Kory pointed to the man she just tied up to the pole. He seemed unconscious.

"Is that a threat?"

"Maybe it is," Kory started away seeing as there's no point in arguing with Nightwing, "And don't call Ms. Anders."

"Ok then… Kory"

Kory immediately turned around and gave him a punch on his face. Nightwing grabbed her fist flying hand blocking her blow. Kory then got on the floor and tried tripping him with her foot. Nightwing jumped, avoiding her black stiletto.

"Your good," Nightwing complimented.

"Thanks. Sadly so are you," Kory said as she got up from her position on the floor.

As she got up, Nightwing's utility belt began blinking red and annoying sounds of _'BEEP' _can be heard.

"That's my queue, goodnight, Kory," Nightwing said as she stepped in the shadows and disappeared.

Kory began walking away from the alley and began heading to her townhouse. _"He thinks he's the only one who's got moves. Anyone can be a superhero. Even I can be one, if I wanted to'_ Kory silently thought to herself. She reached her town home and disappeared behind one of the doors. A faint pounding can be heard. _'I don't need your help Nightwing. Actually, I don't need anyone's help.'_

**A/N OMG I'm SO sorry I haven't updated for months! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Must finish this fic! I promise more things will happen in further chapters. Please review to keep my spirits high! I heart you all! **


End file.
